Hugs and Tests
by AAnitab
Summary: Sequel to "Questioning Fate" and "Unsilent Night".  Here we get to meet the newest littlest Wournos and learn a little more about an unusual family tradition.  Enjoy.


Title: Hugs and Tests

Author: AnitaB

Author's notes: Sequel to "Questioning Fate" and "Unsilent Night". Here we get to meet the newest littlest Wournos and learn a little more about an unusual family tradition. Enjoy.

Hugs and Tests

By AnitaB

He'd never seen anything more beautiful in his entire life. Well, no… he couldn't really say that. There were three other sights, three other faces, in the world that tied the beauty of this moment. Their two little girls were spending the night with grandpa and granddad Teague and the third vision was lying in a hospital bed just inches away after nearly breaking all the bones in his hand. But this… this moment was so damn beautiful that Nathan couldn't even feel the lingering ache of his Audrey's grip. Because the tiny, wrinkled, and red little boy in his arms had grabbed his finger with his eyes closed and squeezed.

His baby boy could feel him, just like the newborn could feel his mother. And Nathan could feel his son. He could feel just how strong that grip was, how soft the skin of that tiny cheek was. "Audrey…"

The tired, but happy smile on his wife's face said she knew exactly what was making his throat so tight and his hands shake. "Go see Duke, go test it." Nathan leaned down to claim a kiss before striding out of the hospital room and down the hall with his baby boy cradled in his arms.

He'd barely crossed the edge of the waiting room when Duke leapt to his feet. "Nathan, how are they?"

"Good. Audrey's tired but fine."

"And my baby boy?" Duke stopped just inches away, eyes locked to the tiny bundle in his father's arms. But he didn't reach out just yet. "How's our boy?"

The words almost didn't make it off his tongue. "He can feel Audrey. We can feel each other. But…"

Now Duke was grinning. Years ago that look on the bar owner's face made his nerves scream silent warnings. Now it was what he'd hoped for. "Gimme that baby." Nathan carefully put the newborn into his Uncle Duke's arms, trying so hard not to get his hopes up. What the little boy already had would be more than he'd had growing up. Audrey's DNA had given the newborn at least familial immunity to the trouble in Nathan's blood. But if he could feel, really feel…

"Hurry, Duke."

"Patience, Nathan. We want the truth." Duke unwrapped the blanket enough to run his fingers down perfect, tiny little limbs until he tickled little ribs and got a wriggle and a cry. Little eyes were closed when one itty bitty little hand clenched around Duke's finger. "Almost…" Duke leaned down and brushed his goatee against a tiny curved cheek. The little boy squirmed and turned away. "One more test, and no punching me this time."

Nathan nodded and watched as Duke pinched the baby's side hard enough to cause a sharp little wail. "He can feel." He knew he was tearing up as he flung his arms around Duke and the baby, knowing that there'd be a wet spot left on Duke's shoulder after he managed to pull back. Duke was cradling the little boy in one arm, and Nathan could hear the other hand rubbing circles on his back. "My baby boy can feel."

The hand on his back made at least two more cycles. "Come on, daddy. I'm sure mommy is waiting impatiently for the news."

Nathan pulled back and found himself planting a familial kiss in the middle of Duke's forehead before plucking the baby out of his arms. "Come with me. Audrey will want to say hello even if she doesn't need a full demonstration to believe it." Settling the newborn against his chest, Nathan's breath caught at the clench of tiny little fingers around one of his.

"Your wife is quite a bit more optimistic than you are. She's been telling us for months not to worry." Duke threw an arm over Nathan's shoulders and tickled the baby boy past the edge of a blanket. "'You'll see, and then you'll believe me' she kept saying. Audrey will want to laugh at us and say 'I told you so.'"

It was hard to focus on the floor beneath his feet when his baby boy was pressing closer against his heart. But that was what Duke was for, wasn't he? An arm around his shoulders pulled him a little further away from the corner and back on track down the middle of the hallway. "I tried so hard not to hope, not to worry but…"

"But he's your son and you want him to have everything." The sound of work-roughened fingers against the fabric of his shirt didn't surprise him in the slightest. "And he will. Hurry up, Nathan. Haven doesn't need to see its chief of police bawling like his baby in the hospital hallway."

"I can still hit you, Duke."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Whatever, cop."

The two men turned the corner into Audrey's room and the smile on her face said she knew. Now Nathan's body knew exactly where to go, easing up onto the edge of her bed to lay the baby boy in her arms and wrap her in his arms. "No neuropathy. He's perfect."

"I told you so, didn't I?" Audrey leaned up for a quick but powerful kiss before defying her own words. "Duke, show me."

Duke just laughed and happily stole back the boy. "Come here, Michael Garland Wournos. Your mommy wants to see." The newborn whined a little at the cold when his uncle Duke unwrapped his blanket.

Audrey's fingers tightened on Nathan's wrist and he moved to claim that hand, feeling every little squeeze through intertwined fingers as she watched and analyzed the set of Duke's tests. At the wail their miracle Michael gave at the rib pinch, Audrey trembled and relaxed back against his chest. Her breathing hitched a little against his arms. Nathan responded by cuddling her closer and nuzzling into the curve of her neck. "Call the grampas. Michael wants to meet his older sisters."

Nathan smiled against her skin and reached into his pocket for his cell phone. "Yes, mama." The speed dial was under his fingers before Duke had rewrapped Michael and started cooing to the boy.

The phone rang only once before his "Hello" was cut off by a hurried question. "How are they? Can the baby boy feel?'

Nathan could hear the reporter on the other end of the connection revving up for another round of questions and moved to cut him off. "They're fine, both of them. Michael's perfect and he thinks Duke should shave off his goatee. It tickles." He must be on speaker because the next sound was two very familiar little girls screaming their blonde heads off. In amongst those noises were some rather unmanly but very grampa-ish cheering. "Come see him. And bring the girls, Michael wants to meet them."

He wasn't sure they heard him until the other Teague's voice came in over the noise. "We're on our way. But it might take a bit to get the girls calm enough to sit still. See you soon."

"We'll be here." Nathan found himself laughing just at the sound of Angela and Sarah literally jumping up and down and screaming all over the Harold's office couch. "Depending on how long it takes, I'll have to steal my boy back from his uncle Duke."

"Then the girls will just have to steal their baby brother from their parents for the hug and tickle tests they're planning." A low laugh sounded in his ear along with the giggling and whispers of his daughters. Yup, that was their planning giggle. That was the noise he always heard through their bedroom door before they pulled some stunt.

"I'm sure little Michael will love getting lots and lots of hugs. See you soon."

000


End file.
